Read Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Full Report Here

By R.J. Johnson - @rickerthewriterApr 18, 2019

US-POLITICS-INVESTIGATION-MUELLER-JUSTICE-REPORT

The report detailing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference has been released to the public Thursday with some redactions. Attorney General William Barr said that President Trump did not assert executive privilege over information contained in the Special Counsel's report.

Large portions of the 448 page report were redacted by the Justice Department in an effort to protect ongoing investigations as well as intelligence sources and methods.

Some of the things we've learned from the report so far:

Mueller's investigation was unable to clear the president on obstruction charges and that evidence obtained by the special counsel's team “about the about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred.”

Members of the Trump campaign knew they would benefit from Russia's illegal actions to influence the election, but they did nothing criminal to help them.

At least 16 Trump associates had Russian contacts during the campaign or the transition. Mueller writes that "Russian contacts consisted of business connections, offers of assistance to the campaign, invitations for candidate Trump and Putin to meet in person, invitations for campaign officials and representatives of the Russian government to meet, and policy positions seeking improved US-Russian relations."

Mueller did not conclude whether Trump obstructed justice and that Congress still has the authority to determine whether the President obstructed justice.

The special counsel did not subpoena the president because it would have 'delayed the investigation."

At least 14 investigations were referred to other offices by Mueller.

Trump asked White House lawyer Don McGahn to remove Robert Mueller from the investigation. McGahn refused to do so.

At least five people within the administration refused to carry out the president's orders.

A second report with fewer redactions will be sent to a bipartisan group of congressional leaders for their review.

When Trump was told about Mueller's appointment, he believed it was the end of his presidency.

Trump's attempts to influence Mueller's investigation largely failed, according to Mueller, because the people who surrounded the president refused to carry out his orders or agree to his requests.

The Trump campaign attempted to obtain Hillary Clinton's private emails. Trump asked individuals affiliated with his campaign to find the deleted Clinton emails. Michael Flynn - who would later serve as National Security Advisory int he Trump Administration - recalled that Trump made this request repeatedly, and Flynn subsequently contacted multiple people in an effort to obtain the emails.

Mueller concluded that Congress has the authority to "prohibit a President's corrupt use of his authority" in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.

Mueller states in the report that they applied the framework of conspiracy law not the concept of ‘collusion.’"